“We have agreed that the upcoming measure regulating the sale of CBD will not come into force now,” according to Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who said a working group has now started a review intended to develop “clear and predictable rules” for the compound.
Under the vacated ban, all cannabinoid-containing food and dietary supplements, and cosmetics containing hemp-derived cannabinoids, would have been ordered off the market. The Ministry had said it was following a strict interpretation of EU rules which designate CBD as a new or “novel” food that must pass safety checks by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Such products have yet to undergo those checks although EFSA has started an evaluation process.
Ceding to industry pushback, the Prime Minister said the ban would have meant “a major complication for users of this substance and for a number of Czech entrepreneurs.”
Back in December 2020 the European Commission ruled that CBD is not a narcotic and can be classified as a food if it meets relevant provisions in EU food legislation. The ruling also declared that CBD products should enjoy the same free movement of goods between and among member states as other legal products.
That led EFSA to start reviewing various forms of CBD to approve them for EU markets under rules for novel foods. As that review unfolds, however, EFSA has observed that research currently available on the effect of CBD on the liver, gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system, nervous system, and psychological well-being is insufficient.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
